Chapter 7

Back at the fire things had calmed down considerably. Those in attendance who had not ventured down to the lake included: Kevin and Maia, who were quietly kissing in the shadows, and Jake, Sol, and Danny. Jake was telling them some long winded story about another party where the cops had come and he had narrowly evaded them. He was very animated in his description and the other two laughed as they drank casually. Sol, of course, was poking at the fire. His wood pile was still quite large.

I popped down on a log in the amber glow. The fire felt good and I soaked it up and enjoyed the lively story. I looked down at my red bikini top, still wet from rinsing off at the lake. My breasts were probably the smallest of any of the girls there, but not by too much, and I thought that my new suit showed them off nicely. I brushed a little bit of sand off the left one and looked up to up to see Jake focused on me, still finishing his tale.

From the shadows I saw Kevin and Maia stand together and quietly retreat toward a tent. I smiled.

" ... the big size." Too cute.

Danny sighed and walked over and sat next to me. He offered me a full beer that he was holding, but I shook my head.

Suddenly Sol started patting and fumbling with his pockets. "Dude, Danny! Have you seen my weed?!?"

"No man. Didn't you have it swimming?"

"No man, that was Derek's! What the fuck!"

Jake's face lit up in an expression of excitement and panic. "Did you fucking lose that shit dude??"

"I dunno," he looked so sad and thoughtful that I almost laughed. "I know I had it ... when I was getting wood!! Shit! I musta dropped it somewhere out there!"

Jake shook his head, "Dude, we gotta go find that shit."

Danny laughed now. "You're gonna go find it? No guys. It's gone."

Jake saw no humor in this, and said with complete seriousness, "I am going to find that shit."

Sol nodded and said, "I'll get some flashlights." And they both jumped into action.

Danny and I were both giggling hardily now. We were all drunk but both he and I knew it was a preposterous task. I looked over and took the beer Danny had been drinking, deciding it was a compromise to the full one. He smiled at me as I drank and slung his arm over my shoulder sweetly.

We both laughed again when we saw the flashlight beams bounce away from the camp. Danny shouted at them as they headed up the hill into the woods, "You guys, it's a fucking tiny bag, in the middle of the woods. In the dark!"

"We're gonna find that shit Danny!"

We laughed more. I felt quite pleasantly buzzed and drank some more. Danny chided them again, "Try to retrace every step exactly! Maybe squat close to the ground so you don't miss it!" More giggles.

"Dude, Shut up! You'll see!"

We watched their beams wave around the hillside and chuckled together happily. I leaned into him and he gave me a squeeze. As he released my shoulder though his fingertips dropped and rested right on my right boob. It sent a wave of tingling through my body, and I took a quick drink, trying to force myself to act natural.

The beams stopped for a moment and we could hear them talking back and forth a few times, but they started up further and we laughed again together.

And then he moved his fingers.

Just gently. But back and forth on my skin. I took another drink, and so did he, and his fingers lightly slid on my skin. He laughed again, staring up the hill. I laughed too but I didn't know what I was laughing about. I took another drink.

Shit. That was too fast. Just act natural. Don't freak out. Oh my god, totally feeling me up.

He squeezed my shoulder, as if he were only giving me a normal hug, but his fingers continued. I was confused and excited and at a loss for what to do.

Is he even attached to this hand??

His fingers glided along the slope of the cup. It was an incredibly seductive touch. My body was responding and I felt helpless in how to react.

Does he really not know what he was doing?? Did he forget and think that I am Erin?? Surely he's not that drunk.

Needing to do something, I just turned my face into his shoulder. I breathed out hard. I smelled him. I ever so lightly kissed his skin. My center warmed to his touch, and he continued to nonchalantly paw at the edge of my bikini. Would he dare to go inside??

As the intensity of it all started to push me close to a breaking point, suddenly there was a crunching sound from the hill, followed by yelling, "Oww! Fuck, fuck fucking damn it!"

"You ok??"

"Ya. Shit!"

Danny laughed again. I tried to laugh too, really I did. But the interruption was really only enough to break me part way out of the spell. His arm brushed off my shoulder and he stood and yelled, "You mother-fuckers are crazy!"

He looked down at me and smiled. I looked back at him in wonder. I felt love and lust and respect and more that I couldn't yet identify for him. As strange as whatever just happened was, it had made a big impact on me. But what had it meant to him?

He held my gaze though, and his smile became less humored and more sweet. After a healthy pause he asked. "You want another beer?"

I just shook my head no. I hoped that I didn't look too shy.

He grabbed a six pack from the cooler and said, "Well I'm gonna head down to the beach. Wanna come?"

I nodded yes and stood and walked with him.

As we neared the shore I could hear Erin laughing annoyingly from the water. She and Kristina were splashing at three of the guys, but looked to be losing the battle. In direct contrast, I was surprised to see Breanne's curvy form standing in a rather sensuous embrace with one of the guys closer to the beach.

"Bryan?" I turned and whispered up to Danny.

He nodded in confirmation, and then said, "Silent but deadly." It was a phrase Danny used to describe Bryan often, but I had mostly heard this personality description used in relation to his play in sports.

Guy knows how to play period I guess. Funny, I've barely ever even heard him talk.

I glanced as their hands moved over each other, but drew my eyes back to the group when they noticed us.

"Daaanny!!" Erin yelled in a whine as she staggered a few steps toward us. Sean, seeing that she was distracted, batted the water hard and sent a torrent right into her face. She shrieked and stumbled backward, and then yelled a series of complaints in increasingly shrill shouts. Danny chuckled quietly, but I was just annoyed.

She continued to fuss all the way up the shore. She was tipsy, and crashed into my brother's torso on greeting.

"You came to plaaay with me," she cooed, holding onto him and righting herself. She kissed him hard and snuggled in a little closer, and her eyes and mouth shot open in surprise. "Oh!" she giggled and then whispered much too loudly, "You got something for me, huh??" She ground her hips against his.

I quickly step away.

Great. Thanks for announcing that ho time is officially starting, Erin. But wait ... does that mean he already had a hard-on when we got here then??

Either way it really didn't seem to matter. In no time they were kissing pretty fiercely. I burned with jealousy and felt very uncomfortable standing there. Alone. I was angry and sad. I just stood there, arms folded, cold and quite under dressed. I felt very conspicuous, even though no one was paying attention. They were all quite engaged in their various activities. And that was the problem. I didn't have a place. I didn't belong here.

I quietly retreated, and walked a short distance into the woods. Internally I scolded myself for pouting, but I felt justified. I had to pee anyway. Finding a private enough spot, I squatted and started to reflect on it all as I went. Deep thoughts while going to the bathroom.

I envied them all: Kristina, so bold and graceful; Maia, so cute and full of energy; Derek's mellow swagger; Sean, crafty like a fox. They all seemed so mature, so confident in their own skin. Even sweet Breanne, who was no doubt still exercising Bryan's quiet tongue, not to mention Danny.

Danny.

I sighed. I realized I was completely enamored with him. It was ridiculous. And he was wrapped around his five-foot-five, big-titted, blonde, whiny princess. I shook my head at my own absurdity.

Come on Amanda. Forget it! Today was super fun, don't screw it up moping over this. Its reality. Come on back to it.

Walking back into camp I felt better. I was committed to enjoying the rest of my time, whatever it looked like, but I was intoxicated enough and tired enough to call it a night. Passing by a tent I heard muffled gasps. I was pretty sure it was Maia since I had only left everyone else just a few minutes before.